What are the shadow people?

[idiot-2009]

I have been to plenty of internet sites for a definitive answer but have not found it yet. I am talking about the dark shadowy figures you see out of the corner of the eyes. But when you turn they are not there. They are dark shadowy, and featureless.

Who or what are the shadow people? Why are they mostly male? They have nearly always been categorized as malevolent forces capable of telekinetics, and telepathy, nearly always present in the vicinity where heinious acts of cruelty are being commited.

But what are they? Evil individuals who died un-naturally? If so, are they now conducting their wicked agendas unhampered by the limitations of their once physical body? Are they "negative" astral entities? Are they at all astral in nature?

Or are they the personification of the combined human attrocities committed since time began? Is it that our evil acts that "spawn" them?

Who? What? Why? Does the occult present a definitive explanation as to the origin and nature of the shadow people?

[Y Ddraig Goch]

well, could be succubus or incubus ??? that kinda makes sense. as a friend of mine told me, they are never seen completely. most often as dark shadowy figures.

[Y Ddraig Goch]

also i've been told that if the intentions of the succubi and incubi are evil, one should sense the wretched stench of rotting meat or sulfur. dunno how accurate is this, cause i didnt had first hand experience with them. tho i have a friend that has regular dealings with them. she said she has friends among them.

[Saeiane]

I've done extensive research on them actually, firsthand mind you.

I was haunted by Shadow beings when I was younger, this was in fact the driving force that caused me to find witchcraft- I was afraid for my life and sought a power to defend myself with. I've seen this trend, Shadow people (I use the term "shadow demons") are drawn to people with unusual power. They are neutral beings that act only when they are compelled to. Being what they are, they understand little of human emotion except what is shown to them, so the way they ''help'' people they are drawn to is by working off the emotions of either fear or anger. They are quite intimidating beings to fully behold in their true form. They hold the powers to shift their bodily form as well as their features. However as one might guess- they always seem to be made of either corporeal or ethereal shadows.

As far as I can tell, there are in fact different 'races' of shadow people. For example, my Shadow Spirit is not what I would call a Shadow Demon- because a Shadow Spirit is created the moment a person steps on to the path of the witch and is an exact magickal "Other" of this person. Whereas a Shadow Demon is already in existence. From an account of a close colleague of mine- I came upon the information that Shadow Demons can change their gender spontaneously and at will. (And generally have none by default) Also, though I have nothing proving or disproving this, Shadow Demons may in fact be different from Shadow People.

Also, to my knowledge. Shadow Demons refer to their own Hierarchy (also to be noted, Shadow Demons are in fact NOT demons in the sense of being an evil-inclined entity. Though they are usually misunderstood because of their menacing and intimidating appearance, they can be beneficial if shown kindness) which operates in a system of which I know very little of - having not spent very much time closely with them. There does seem to be a "class system" they are also very docile unless approached with hostility, though they seem to disapprove of "outsiders".

Anything more I know I either cannot fully remember ( my memory is truly cursed, I have a seemingly endless hold of knowledge, but not the skills to recall it when it is needed.. ) or cannot reveal to others for reasons of an oath.

Also, Succubi and Incubi are vampiric demons, not shadow creatures (as far as my knowledge goes- and I've been visited by a succubus on more than one horrifying occasion. Just remembering it makes my stomach churn- which is not an easy task..) they drain the vitality of a person though intercourse. Either forced or by seducing their victims. Trademark after-feelings are weak constitution, lack of will, loss of sexual vitality, and general "heaviness" of the body.

[Y Ddraig Goch]

QUOTE Trademark after-feelings are weak constitution, lack of will, loss of sexual vitality, and general "heaviness" of the body.

beside the loss of sexual vitality i experience the other 3 symptoms quite often. but i do not sense the stench of rotting flesh or sulfur.

[Saeiane]

Indeed.. During my succubus encounter, I was young and foolish enough to make a small prayer which seems to have acted as an opening for the wench... She came as an astral being in my dreams and when I woke up.. I felt like I had been choked in the night, there was a cold sweat over my brow and I remembered the dream vividly (which was unnatural for me) I had a bit of knowledge at the time of what a Succubus was... I knew the sensations that indicated a succubus attack as well... I was not right for weeks, and when she came again to feed I was lucid. I repelled her. I did not see her again for a few years, at which time I was able to destroy her and did so. An experience I would never wish upon another person. Save perhaps for my most hated enemy.

Also: nor have I experienced those sensations. But those others could be attributed to day-to-day emotional or mental wear, though if you are concerned. I'd recommend a protection spell before bed. Something that will last til morning preferably.

Anyhow.. I apologize, I seem to have a bad habit of going off topic.

[Harlock]

Not much can really be said about shadow people, some say their just ghosts, others say they are impressions like stated above, others say they are demons, ive never had too much trouble with them, and Lady D i tottally understand what u mean by fighting them suck, back when i was way too far into spiritual warfare i got visited by a succubus, and then a month later a banshee, I boosted up my protection around my house up to the highest of my abilities because of it, dont want a repeat

[Gazeeboh]

During my childhood these guys were always hanging around me.

I remember once, whilst watching my younger brother, I heard a squishy sound out the window. I thought to myself "that really sounds like someone walking in mud". Just as I did so, a shadow person walked by the window. However, this one was white, not light or anything, just like he didn't have a color. I saw him a few more times out windows during the day, but more often I heard him squishing around.

Later that night I was sleeping in my bed. I woke up and had to pee but I was too scared to leave my bed. So I sat there, staring at the door to my room, contemplating fear to bladder comfort ratios. Then a shadow person poped round the corner and peaked into my room. Quick and silent, just like that some strange being was staring me down. I was frozen with fear and he just kept his eyeless gaze upon me. Finally I screamed aloud and summoned my parents to my aid. He vanished just as they entered the room.

Another time I was in my new room and a little bit older. It was once again night and I had just rolled over to my other side, which left me facing the door to my room. I looked at it for a moment, and suddenly a small shadow child entered my room, walked to my bedside and stared at me. He had pointed ears. Needless to say, I was almost passing out from fear. What the hell was this guy? Is he going to hurt me? I somehow managed to roll over and fall asleep.

When I was very young, I was in the tub taking a bath. According to my mother I was talking to someone in there. She asked me who it was. I told her the shadow man with the hat right there. She told me not to talk to strangers.

I've found that these shadow people usally are very scary to behold. They also wear hats.

All of my friends have seen them as well. My one buddy saw two in the middle of the road. He thought they were turkey vultures at first. Then they stood up and looked at him before flying up and away. My other friend was stirring up **** with ghosts at a cemetery one night and on his way home he saw them just off the road side stepping towards his car. My mother and brother have both seen them as well by the road side.

Someone said they were attuned to Saturn energy.

So, I think they are usually found in some twilight area. Roads, hallways, doorways, walls, edges, borders. And they wear hats.

I tried to call them out, several times, in these areas but to no avail. Maybe I didn't meet the dress codes.

[toadbile]

I have listened to Art Bell and Co. take calls on shadow people for several years. Yes, they are reported to wear hats. Mr. Bell thinks they may be the shadows of being cast from over-lapping parrallel dimensions who often may not be aware of our world, or that they may be cast across time from beings in the same space. I have listened to a dozen or so first-hand stories from caller to the show with very few details in common except for sleep-paralysis and the Hats.

I wonder if such beings would be in fear of our shadows cast into their world, shivering at the strangeness: "They had no hats! No hats!"

[Harlock]

I hope you never have to go through that ever again Harlock. I am glad you made it through.

yeah likewise Lady D, but lucky enough I knew how to control energy well enough so I was okay, the banshee was the worst because i was asleep and on my back, so i just created an energy "bomb" on my back and blew it up fairly painfully effective let me say. And so now after much experiances, I offer my knowledge and help people now to avoid any problems people might have that are similar.

[S33k3R]

Oh ya...those guys...

hmmm.

Similar thing happened to me...one of those funny yet arbitary nights when you know something funky is going down in the astral plane...I was parking off on my bed, window opened...couldn't sleep for the life of me. I suppose I was just kind of gazing into the middle distance of my ceiling, maybe I drifted off to sleep...next thing there were a couple of these things standing over my bed looking down at me. 6...there were 6 of them, I've always remembered that.

Paralysis...thats what the term is, sleep paralysis...can't move, crushing sensation on the chest, can't breath. I didn't get the chest effect at first, I was just cold. I think I challenged them in some way, (probably said something stupid), one stepped forward and put its hand on my chest...Jesus Christ it was cold, really felt like my heart was being crushed.

Its weird, my rational mind was oddly detached from this...It was a strange shift in perception, I felt like I was outside the event watching objectively and somewhat impassionately and at the same time participating subjectively. I think this happens when your logic shuts down or a situation is to intense for it to process.

I still don't know whether these "shadow beings" are a manifestation of our subconscious fears that assail us from time to time or actual entities divorced of our psyches. However there does seem to be a fair amount of consistency among a variety of cultures when it comes to this phenomenon.

Sleep paralysis seems to be the worst manifestation :Sleep paralysis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis) however simply being aware of these folk in the corners of perception is also common

PS: mine weren't wearing hats...maybe it was summer on their side of reality.

[Harlock]

every culture has a version of it, in the judeo christian beliefs they say its lucifer sitting on you, the Hmong believe its a Dab (a demon) that does it

[Saeiane]

Paralysis is something I attribute to extreme fear, whenever I'm unnaturally afraid, my throat closes up, I can't scream, and I can't move. I'm like that until my sense kicks back in and I react.
lol, now that I think about it. I probably look like Link in the older Zelda games when he faces a boss monster " *door slams shut* Link: =OO! *monster comes out* Link: Bwah! "
hahahaha!

Though the act of chest-sitting has been attributed to many things, succubi visiting in the night, demons that cause nightmares. Makes one wonder how they people of the old world came to such conclusions. Then it makes you not want to know...

As for the source of the shadow peoples' origin... It is quite possible they come from many different places, as I mentioned there seems to be different "races" and "classes" of them. At least one of them are a sort of "shadow" of the psyche if you've studied Carl Jung you know of who'm I am speaking lol. The darker dimensions, the inner "demon" hidden from the sight of modern society- and in sever cases. Oneself. The demon we need to calm and make peace with to achieve a state of inner balance. Possibly the most hurtful wound modern society has inflicted upon people of spirituality, is the thinking process that this part of the mind and soul should be beaten, bound, gagged and tossed into the darkest attic of our minds, labeled as wrong, bad and evil. When in fact, it is primal, strong and in most cases, neutral (though this part of us is more inclined to act with little regard towards others- hence "primal")

Just something one of you said made me think about this and I felt I should bring it up, perhaps it is this inner shadow, manifesting outwardly to point us along. Then again- perhaps not.
The reality lies in the perception, friends.

[S33k3R]

Just something one of you said made me think about this and I felt I should bring it up, perhaps it is this inner shadow, manifesting outwardly to point us along. Then again- perhaps not.
The reality lies in the perception, friends.

If we go by the good old "As above so below" concept, I've often read that as "As within, so without". We are a reflection of our environment as much as our environment is a reflection of us.

So I posit that these creatures are in fact both outside entities and part of our dark and hidden psyche at the same time...it just depends whether you are looking at it from the outside in or the inside out.

Confused?...yea...me too..its cool.

[Ashnook]

If we go by the good old "As above so below" concept, I've often read that as "As within, so without". We are a reflection of our environment as much as our environment is a reflection of us.

So I posit that these creatures are in fact both outside entities and part of our dark and hidden psyche at the same time...it just depends whether you are looking at it from the outside in or the inside out.

Confused?...yea...me too..its cool.

Very good analysis here. When we apply the phrase as above so below to shadow people a logical conclusion might be that they may very well exist as entities both within and without us.

Most systems have a certain feel to them, an energy signature is a decent way to explain it. That energy signature, usually coupled with various techniques, helps us slip into a more etheric state of being. Before doing so we must be removed from the mundane. In theurgy, the use of robes and religious prayer serves this function as well a sense of feeling exceedingly pure, more pure than we normally feel. This allows us to work with angelic beings of a higher "vibration" than we are used to operating at during normal times. As I stated, most systems do something similiar. The Simon Necronomicon's signature is exceedingly primeval which many people have a difficult time adjusting to when first starting to work the system. They often, as did I, translate that feeling into fear. This can cause severe bouts of paranoia.

I bring all of this up because when I first began working the Necronomicon I saw shadow people for a time and have known others to do so as well when first beginning a system. A new system means new modes of being. It may very well be the case that a new mode of being, spiritually that is, would be enough to cause shifts in consciousness, especially with what we do (magick that is.) Those shifts in consciousness may having something to do with causing them to appear. S33k3R's post about sleep paralysis appears to lend some validity to this idea as during sleep paralysis a person's modes of consciousness are rapidly and radically changing. As Saeiane also mentioned, Jungian psycology playes a role here as well in so much as it may be that during those shifts of awarness, parts of our selves begin to manifest for moments at a time in front of us or even entirly outside of us as reflection or pieces of reflections of us. It seems reasonable to assume that the image the mind would put on such a thing would be that of a shadow.

-Ashnook

[vincze]

Mr. Bell thinks they may be the shadows of being cast from over-lapping parrallel dimensions who often may not be aware of our world, or that they may be cast across time from beings in the same space.

I think thats a good point of view (though i do not know Mr. Bell), and may i add in my own concept, that we see the only in the corner of our eyes because our minds tend to focus naturaly to what is in front of us or to what we are looking at. And because we focus, we think, and when we think, sometime we tend to oversee or negate things that are there already...

hmmmm... which makes me think, is it possible that to see them clearly or in order for us to be aware that those shadow figures are there we need to "un-focus"??

[S33k3R]

Actually I suspect that it might have something to do with the distribution of Rods and Cones within the human eye...

Rods and Cones are two different types of photoreceptors in the eye..cones are used to percieve colour and are not sensitive to light and dark. Rods are much more sensitive to light and dark but cannot perceive colour.

Further, there are only 6-7 million cones in the eye, most of which are focused in the "center of vision" i.e straight ahead of where you look. There are about 120 million Rods, mostly distributed around the periphery of vision...these are sensitive to movement and shadow. Its a survival thing, we only need to know that something is coming to attack us from the edges of our vision...we don't need to know what colour it is.

So the construction of the eye itself means that we can only perceive these "shadow beings" from the corner of our eyes...

[Harlock]

becareful about those wearing black robes they may not be your average friendly shadow people, i know i do not need to tell you this but i hope that it was just "passing through"

[Harlock]

like lambs to the slaughter? it would prove somewhat amusing really, but also can be somewhat of an annoyance, either way youll gain some entertainment

[AnonKnight]

I've had moderate experience with shadow people, and as I can determine best, there are many different types.
There is of course the shadow of yourself (ie: Jung) which has been explained quite adequately (kudos there)

The shadow beings described by the original poster, the ones his brother sees, are most likely thralls of Thanatos, Anubis, (insert god of death of your choice). I've had extensive experience with the various gods of death, and these creatures seem to hang around a lot in areas where death is rampant, or about to happen. They're pretty harmless in and of themselves, but you should be on the lookout, as they do usually indicate death ahead, so extra protection spells and divination is definitely in order at the very least. Be mindful and cautious, and prayers for your family and friends are most likely the best way to stave them off.

As to their function, I think it has to do with preservation of the energy matrix and/or spirit, although I can't be sure, as I haven't witnessed them in action before, although I can say I was almost killed when I was younger after I saw one.

Just some thoughts,
Anonymous Knight

[PRAXIS]

"I have tried contacting these shadow people using the Ouija board as I know it is a low level device, I actually took it to the doorway and sat in front of them with it... I spoke with one called Queshd (this was one night that my partner was sleeping at her friends house). I have spoken to Queshd a few times, I have a feeling the name should have been Quesh .d as there was a large pause before the last letter, or perhaps Quesh is the last name and D is the first intital. The answers I gained from this being never made sense, always different dates, and by asking when he passed over and when he was born would have placed him nearly 300 years old. These creatures lie, or they have no concept of time or space (In a sense like our own), or perhaps they have never been human, I am not sure, but I didn't gain anything from the contact made through the Ouija board when using it to speak with Shadow people."


Greetings LoS,

Now that you have its name you can get some answers. They are all liars. Any race of beings that would hold you down in your sleep and mess with you I would think would be highly suspect.

If this occured to me. I would find myself a very advanced practitioner whom has mastered the Evocationary branch of the Occult Tree. Then evoke that entity into the Triangle of Art and through dint of real threat with the magickal dagger and obliteration through the destruction of its name get some concrete answers as to what the hell it is, where it came from , what its race is , etc. I wonder why those of a more advanced level have not simply summoned one up in a triangle of art and compelled the buggers to come clean.

I would suggest that you perform the LBRP daily and right after the LBRP perform the Middle Pillar Ritual then the Rose Cross Ritual. That last should clear the area up nicely. I would also take blessed water and blessed salt during the daylight hours and a blessed white washcloth and clean the doorways, the doors, and the frames as well as ALL of the Threasholds in your home. Includeing the windows. Making satchets with certain Herbs ( I like sage) and hanging them from the doorknobs or placing above the entranceways to rooms works as well. If you have hardwood floors I suggest you sweep and mop... and in the water (hot) pour in some pure essential organic Sage Oil. Makes it hard for them to be around. Next time one of those buggers gets around take a steel dagger and in bright firery red fire trace the banishing pentagram of Earth and vibrate the Divine name AGLA while pointing at the center of the Pentagram. No dagger...use your two fingers from your right hand.

I just moved into a very old cottage and I have a bit of activity. I have seen a few shadow beings here. and have been assaulted a couple of times (actually stabbed) However, Continued work with the LBRP and some form of Closing Rite like the Rose Cross is having a very marked positive effect. I use the Yetzeratic Sealing Rite (found in Kraigs Modern Magick) very effective and quick Ritual. I have disintigrated a couple of them already through the use of the Pentagram. They are quite wary of me now and keep their distance knowing I will not hesitate in the least. I have had experiences with these beings and those like them since I was a young boy.
Something strange occured one time while I was under an assault when I was in my late teens. I formed my right hand into the shape of a claw...Like I was going to simply try and grab this thing... Well I did. I found out then that for some unknown reason I can grab these things and rake huge chucks out of them.... If I dont feel like pentagraming one of them.. I just reach out and rip out a huge chuck from them... They dont much care for that and tend to get the hell away from me. Later on I got even better at it. I now think of my hands in such a situation as Manifestations of the Hindu God Nashringha. Lion Headed slayer of Demons. An Avatar of Lord Vishnu. And while I am rakeing chunks from said annoying entity...that is whom I am thinking of... I have not been seriously bothered by these entities for some time.

I do not know where you live. Couldnt hurt to contact some Hindu Temple in India through email and ask them to make an offering to Lord Nashringha upon your behalf. couldnt hurt.

Respectful Regards,
Praxis

[VIRAL]

"Shadow people" are not the main things that hold people down in their sleep, although I wouldn't put it past them sometimes. It is a defence mechanism. A little more than a year ago I was living in a group home. The energy there was just awful and very unpleasent, but the " Shadow people" or perhapse Duppy's didn't mind, I saw them all the time. One time I was in a lesbian bar and one walked down the hall and past me, and I looked right at it. The owner of the bar got really nervous and asked me to leave without explaining herself. Here's one - my first boyfriend took some Dramamine and robitussin in exessive amounts and then he saw a little boy dressed in black victorian clothes and the boy had solid white eyes, speaking a language that sounded like english played backwards. This probably wasn't a shadow person. Anyway, I have seen alot more impressive things than shadow people and think that they are only one kind of spirit, and that spirits can't always be taxonomically classified like animals or pokemon.

[LilyHaze]

I had planned on joining this forum, but this topic sealed the deal. Shadow People are kind of a hot-button issue for me, as I have had a great deal of experience with them as well.

I suppose I shall start by explaining my experiences, as others have.

I have always been able to perceive Shadow People, and remember seeing them around places I lived as far back as I have memory. There was one that I actually named Shadow (I was young, it seemed appropriate.) and he will play an important role in my life later.

I always attributed speed to these spirits. They would always allow me to observe them as long as I didn't look directly at them, but the moment I did they would disappear. My young mind thought that they were simply running very fast. They showed no qualms in appearing around me when I was near others either, and I often sat with friends and watched them (through the corner of our eyes), we would compare where we saw them, and how many there were. We always agreed.

As I grew older, and my fear of the dark slowly started to fade, so did my fear of these spirits. They still caused sparks of fear when they caught me off guard, but I didn't fear them necessarily. The spirit I had named Shadow was the only one I saw consistently. I began to think of him as a guardian of sorts.

Fast forward to my first Ouija board reading. When called upon to pray to a force to protect us, and to imagine a white protective light around us, I found that I could no produce such a light. Instead, it was very comfortable for me to focus on being surrounded by a darkness so deep that evil feared it.

I began at that point to talk to spirits more, and eventually confronted this spirit I had named Shadow. He seemed to simply go by that name (maybe because that was what I had always called him), and he seemed content to guide me in my magical growth. In the mean time, the other shadow spirits became much more comfortable with me. At times I could even gaze directly at them without them disappearing.

When a malevolent spirit attempted to attack a family friend, a shadow person stepped in and banished the malicious spirit. I was very indebted to that spirit. Once I gained the ability to shield, and started down my path, Shadow no longer appeared. He seemed to have moved on to some other plane, or simply have moved on altogether.

My observations of Shadow People:

They are curious in nature and are drawn to sites of intense emotion. The operate outside our normal perception of time, as some spirits do, and can feel places where strong emotions occurred long ago, or will occur in the future. This is why Shadow People are reported at being at the site of accidents shortly before the accident occurs. Some people even blame accidents and misfortune upon the Shadow People, a blame I think is unwarranted.

Shadow People do not generally cause harm to people, and may occasionally attempt to help in disjointed and obscure ways. For being one of the most commonly reported spirits, they love their privacy, which is why they disappear as most people attempt to look directly at them. Some Shadow People are seen as guardians, warding off actual "evil" or unkind spirits from places where they would cause more harm than is already present.

They have common forms that they appear in, but Shadow People can vary in shape and size as far as the human mind can imagine, and probably in more ways than that. Most that I have perceived appear to lack a real gender, but others are very clearly male or female.

Most commonly spotted at night, these spirits can easily exist in daytime as well, and have no real issues with moving through any source of direct light.

Little research has been done into these fleeting spirits, and most knowledge of them is done on a personal basis (as mine is), and some information presented is conflicting, implying that the true nature of these spirits is more diverse than any single person can accurately see.




So yes. I rambled there a little bit, but that one guardian shadow person is what started me down my whole path, and ultimately led me here (among other places). I think he deserves at least one overly long post (though truly I owe him much more.)

[albie]

Shadow people are what you see when an entity rises up from a lower vibration. as when they drop form a higher vibration you see light.

In other words: bad folk.

[Light]

Shadow people are what you see when an entity rises up from a lower vibration. as when they drop form a higher vibration you see light.

In other words: bad folk.

Bad folk ?
What do you define as bad folk. ...They are spirits, they all have their place...

[InsipidPariah]

They call themselves the Khai'min, at least thats what they told me in a dream once when I asked.

As for what they are here for, they weren't entirely clear on that. I know they are here mostly as observers, thats why their image is non corporeal, they can't get involved. They watch everyone that has the latent talents I assume we all have.

I have had many experiences with them, mostly good. Some of them can be quite mischievous and will go out of their way to provoke an emotional response. It is interesting to read someone else on here mention their being drawn to strong emotions because I have experienced the same thing.

One event in particular was when i was taking a nap at one of my jobs. Pesky little bugger must have come up to my ear as I lay on the couch and just let out one hell of a shriek. I woke up so scared, I must have fed it for weeks haha